Creative economy boon

The traditional image of artists and other creatives needs a big makeover, according to detailed analysis of the 2016 Census by QUT researchers.

QUT Distinguished Professor Stuart Cunningham said the creative economy was in better shape than ever with jobs in creative services growing at three times the rate of the overall workforce.

He said the creative services part of the creative economy was a highly innovative sector, with new jobs being created to satisfy new kinds of economic activity. Software and digital content, and new forms of social media management and marketing are growing especially robustly as destinations for creative talent.

Creative services employment is remunerated at a rate more than 30 per cent higher than the Australian mean, with software and digital content professionals earning the highest incomes of the whole sector.